Before Tears for Fears ruled the world, there was Neon. The short-lived British new wave group included Tears for Fears‘ Curt Smith and Roland Orzabal, along with two men who would go on to form their own hyper-synthesized 1980s act: Pete Byrne and Rob Fisher, founders of Naked Eyes.
When Neon split in 1981, both duos carved their respective legacies in the emotive pop landscape and helped build the 1980s’ reputation as a decade of artistic sincerity. Naked Eyes made their mark via their debut collection Burning Bridges (1983)—known as Naked Eyes in the US—and Tears for Fears with The Hurting (1983) and Songs from the Big Chair (1985).
Where Tears for Fears are well remembered, though, Naked Eyes only blip into recollection whenever their grandiose cover of “Always Something There to Remind Me” rockets onto the airwaves. The extravagant single and its companion, “Promises, Promises”, marked vibrant threads in the colorful 1980s pop tapestry, but is Burning Bridges any good as an album?
The answer is more of a “Yes, but” than a definitive “Yea” or “Nay” when taken as a whole. Measured against the usual characteristics of sonic craftsmanship, lyrics, and cultural impact, Burning Bridges falls a bit short. When considered for its clear-eyed approach to matters of the heart, though, it’s a captivating collection worth remembering and celebrating, especially in the age of “cringe culture” (more on that later).
It doesn’t hurt that the album’s singles are far from its only sonic gems. Each track boasts unique melodies, sounds, and synthpop hooks that resonate in the mind for days on end. Stylish yet never soulless, Burning Bridges is painted in brushstrokes of bright sincerity and emotionally charged instrumentation, lending every hook heart and every vocal a romantic candor.
Without these spirited performances, however, the record’s lyrics would crumble into clichés. Eloquence is not Burning Bridges‘ strong suit. Its songs cling to a thin scaffolding of ideas surrounding romance and interpersonal dynamics, but never build on it.
Indeed, many better songs have explored these topics. Shimmering synths and drum machine swagger fail to fully elevate lyrics like “I knew I would find / You’d be a very hard act to follow… Love is hard to follow / It’s such a very hard act to follow” in “A Very Hard Act to Follow”. In “I Could Show You How”, another substantial earworm suffering lyrical malnourishment, most of the lyrics are repetitions of the title.
If one can’t feast on nutritious philosophy or soul-food poetry—”Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way” is more Pink Floyd‘s style than Naked Eyes’—at least the music itself offers plenty of lovingly crafted brain candy.
Burning Bridges might be one of the most 1980s-sounding 1980s albums of all time. It doesn’t restrain any of its synthesizer glory with its many vivid bursts of sound and sonic tinkering. (A challenge: Count how many times you hear a pop bass throughout the collection.) One reason each track is so individualistic yet cohesive with the album’s style is Naked Eyes’ earnest, child-like approach to their instruments.
“I Could Show You How” opens with crystalline electronic bells and an assertive synthetic bass line that suggests Naked Eyes had fun teasing this intro into existence in the studio. Throughout the track, multiple synths, from bouncy to bright and high-pitched, weave a glittering web around the vocals. The result is a delightful, infectious smorgasbord of sounds akin to New Order‘s sonic play on “Blue Monday” or “Bizarre Love Triangle”.
“Could Be” anticipates the gloom of the not-yet-realized Disintegration (1989)-era Cure, fusing moody mystique with sophistication in a surprise saxophone solo. Where lyrics often fall short, the sax and dark synths exude sensual intrigue.
“When the Lights Go Out” opens on similar notes to “Always Something There to Remind Me” but remains its own distinct creation. The latter is textbook ebullience, all smiling synths, romantic giddiness, and cinematic grandeur boiling over its brisk tempo, while the former scales back into a relaxed, late-afternoon groover.
The record’s ultimate highlight, though, is “Promises, Promises”. Seeing as its sibling single is a cover, “Promises” is Burning Bridges‘ strongest original pop piece and a jewel in the broader 1980s hit pantheon. The US single version lands with more immediate vigor, but the original retains a 30-second intro, lower pitch, and flourishes of British flavor: “Now you’re saying you and me / Are not your style or cup of tea.”
The track’s irresistibly danceable beat, dashes of trusty pop bass, and catchy refrain ensure “Promises, Promises” fulfills its promise as a single that is both entertaining and memorable. On an already slickly produced album where every player pulls its musical weight, it still manages to poke its head far enough above its brethren to maintain a longer lease on listeners’ mental real estate.
It’s fortunate that Naked Eyes didn’t neglect their sonic craft and understood that in pop music, feelings come first. Otherwise, their debut would’ve been nothing to write home about. Clever lyrics elevate the cerebral listening experience, but Burning Bridges‘ compositional strengths prove they’re not always strictly necessary. A great pop song is a wonderful thing. A feeling spawned from sound is its own miracle.
If a song is only its lyrics, it is not a song but a pretty passage in a storybook. If it is both lyrically and musically brilliant, it may be a masterpiece. If beautiful in sound only, it is good enough because it achieves music’s core purpose: to spark the soul.
Burning Bridges represents an era in popular entertainment when that purpose was central and well-received. Films from the 1980s were similarly sentimental—think The Princess Bride (1987), When Harry Met Sally (1989), and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982). Top Gun (1986) even flexed its romantic side in the relationship between Lieutenant Pete Mitchell (Tom Cruise) and “Charlie” (Kelly McGillis), whose love theme, “Take My Breath Away”, flies as high on its feelings as the fighter jets on Cold War tensions.
Nowadays, this sincerity often evokes a sneering discomfort. If the 1980s were maximalist in terms of emotions and hairstyles, the 2020s pride themselves on minimalism and a detached, ironic sense of “cool”. It’s branded as protection against embarrassment, but it doesn’t allow for authentic character development or truly fulfilling relationships, either with others or oneself.
Generation Z, the latest cohort to join the workforce, considers caring “cringy”. “Sincere effort and ambition have become socially risky behaviors,” says Forbes, and it’s affecting everything from online behaviors to Generation Z’s ability to hold down a job. This generation is the present and future; if anything should be done to improve either, caring will be required.
Naked Eyes didn’t reinvent the wheel with Burning Bridges, and one album’s earnestness won’t turn back the tides of cultural apathy. However, they created a product that embodies the best of the time in which it was made, qualities now pushed aside to embrace an all-around grayscale culture that is also impacting today’s musicians.
Ariana Grande shared her frustrations with “cringe culture” and how disappointing it is that sincerity “scares people”. “Why do you want me to be sitting here numb? Been there.” One statement from her interview captures the heart of the 1980s, and Burning Bridges, with perfect clarity: “I’m so grateful to feel so much.”
Naked Eyes didn’t deliver technical genius or life-altering social commentary in their debut album, but they did offer listeners emotional honesty in an era when that was a prized commodity. It’s an age that sensitive, serious people miss now. As social media, consumerism, and rage-baiting hollow out humanity’s collective core, Burning Bridges reads like a restoration of truth.
It’s a thoughtful record in its own right. Its immersive, instantly transportive atmosphere recalls the crest of the new wave era and holds the collection far above its one weakness.
Lively, gleaming, and a touch eccentric in that endearing 1980s way, Burning Bridges is a good album for new wave fans who, when reflecting on our ironic modern world, can’t help waxing nostalgic for the sincerity of the past—a time when the emotionality of pop was regarded as sacred.
